The Warlord and the Dragonborn
by Nidhogg453
Summary: A man banished from his own time joins and helps the Dragonborn on his quest to defeat Alduin. The two will meet many people, and ultimately decide the fate of Mundus (the world of mortals). Follow them as they chase the World Eater across Skyrim.
1. Prologue

Prologue

Our story begins eons ago, in a small temple in the southern mountains of Skyrim. The walls of the antechamber were covered in carvings of past high priests, from the ceiling drapes and banners hung. Fires roared from their sconces in the corners, casting eerie, intertwining shadows from the nine people gathered there. Eight figures were surrounding a kneeling bound man, clothed in rags, surrounded by eight regally dressed, masked figures. The bound man had brown hair that he glared though as he looked up at the man before him. The scar around his right eye told stories of enemies long dead, and the look in his eyes gave the notion that more enemies would soon follow. The men around him were the High Dragon Priests.

Otar the Mad in a mask of Malachite. Raghot of rage in an Orichalcum mask. The brutal Hevnoraak in his Iron mask. The Glorious Mage Morokei in his Moonstone forged mask. The sorrowful Krosis in a rusted iron mask. Vokun the shadow in his Steel mask. The horrific Volsung in his mask made of Corundum. Standing before the bound man, and holding a large scroll, was Nahkriin the vengeful wearing a mask of Ebony.

It was Nahkriin who spoke first, "For your crimes against the Dov, you are stripped of name, rank, and of your mask. You are now Govegein, the Outcast. And you shall suffer the same fate as our master Alduin firstborn of Akatosh." He paused a moment before Krosis spoke up.

"Do you have any last words before your sentence is carried out, Ko- I mean Govegein?"

The bound man stood, and Raghot and Hevnoraak moved to restrain him again. Nahkriin raised a hand to stop them. The ragged man did not look like any of the Atmorans, who had settled the area, or even like an Ayleid, who lived there even before the Atmorans. The other Priests knew that his lineage was shady, he was found by Paarthunax, Alduin's younger brother, in lands west of the temple they stood in now, looking again at his face made them uneasy. He spoke, "We all know that while Miraak was wrong to worship Hermaus Mora, he was right in believing that a change is coming. We can no longer be bound by the Dov. Now with the end of Alduin, the uprisings of man will soon follow. The cult will not last, you will be driven out of your attempts to rule and the dragons will fall. You cannot prete-"

"Enough! Your lies and treachery end here!" shouted Nahkriin as he held up the Elder Scroll and began the incantation. He finished with, "You are banished! Govegein, we shout you out from all our endings until the last!" The Scroll burst into light with these last words and the light enveloped the bound man and he disappeared. "Send this filthy thing to the Dwemer, let them do as they please with it."

"He is wrong right?" Volsung asked, "We all know the prophecy the Dwemer told us when they read the scroll, Alduin will return."

"Yes, and we will just have to prepare for that, no matter how long it takes." Vokun replied.

"Actually I might have a few ideas on the subject, especially after examining the heretics of Solsthiem," Hevnoraak stated before beginning his theories.

* * *

**Thanks for reading. Feel free to review, I'm always trying to improve the story. If I screw up any lore too badly (other than the basis of the story) feel free to get angry and hit something, or tell me about it, or both. Do both. Anyways, yeah just leave your thoughts in the review text box area thingy.**


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1- The Arrival

As the light faded the man, now Govegein, found his surroundings to have severely decayed. The carvings that were just a moment ago, so detailed and lifelike, were now so faded he could barely tell the faces apart. The banners and drapes were now rotted away, the fires were now dead. _Did it work? No I guess I wouldn't be here if it did, unless the Scroll works differently than we guessed._ He thought as he rose, examining the empty ruins he now stood in. He looked down at his hands and feet and as he felt magika flow through and the ropes binding him burned away, but something was wrong. _No time to dwell on that, let's see if anyone actually locked up the temple when they were done._ Govegein knew that the people of his time had a tendency to forget to lock their doors. _As Krosis used to say, it was a thief's paradise._

Govegein tried the door finding it, thankfully, unlocked. Opening it he found himself in a camp of blue clad, blond men. "Um, hi?" he tried before the nearest one proceeded to tackle him to the ground.

"Who are you? How did you get into those ruins, they were empty a few hours ago and I would have noticed a man strange as you passing through the camp." The soldier, Govegein guessed based on the armor and sword, questioned as he twisted Govegein's arm.

"What about a man as strange as that?" Govegein said as he attempted to point out the man sneaking through the camp. This man had shoulder length light brown hair and wisps of a beard and was rifling through some of the armorers wears. He was also tackled and pinned.

"Thanks for pointing me out Breton" he grumbled as they were tied to horses and joined the march that left the encampment.

"Sorry I just have a tendency to thwart thieves, I would tell you to ask my friend about it, but we are not on speaking terms anymore. By the way, who is Breton?" Govegein wondered at this new name.

"You're a Breton," the thief replied and at Govegein's questioning look he continued, "You know part man part elf disliked by both, kind of snotty and stuck up, decent with enchantments and amazing conjurers."

"I can barely even conjure a familiar, but I am an excellent enchanter." Govegein replied.

"I didn't ask for your auto-biography" snarled the thief.

"Well excuse me for trying to make a friend."

"You befriend people by turning them in?"

"It worked with Krosis … well I did also get him an awesome job."

"Hey, guys it's great that you two are bonding and all, but shut up." Said the rider they were tied to. They walked in silence for a short time before an arrow tore through the rider's neck. In seconds the group was surrounded by red-clad soldiers. Arrows flew, many hitting their marks' necks or knees. It was a dance of death as blades twirled around the two prisoners. As the horse they were tied to fell, the thief crouched near it attempting to hide while Govegein sat down

"I guess its red against blue?" Govegein calmly inquired.

"No really, where have you been?" the thief practically shouted. "The 'reds' are the Imperial army and the 'blues' are the Stormcloaks trying to 'free' Skyrim from Imperial rule." He was cowering now trying desperately not to get killed.

"An Empire huh? I knew I was gone a long time from the ruins, but for an empire to rise? This and a civil war, Akatosh, you picked a great time to drop me into."

"What are you talking about? Oh, by the Divines I'm tied to a madman!" the thief shouted before they were both knocked out by imperial soldiers.

* * *

Govegein awoke to the jarring motions of a carriage and the worse stench of a horse. "Hey, you're awake." It was the soldier who had roughly greeted him when he left the temple. "Yeah sorry about taking you prisoner and all, you can't be too safe what with all of these Imperials around, huh?" He was bound and sitting next to the newly awoken Breton, and a gagged man in more regal clothes sat across from him, next to whom sat the thief from the camp.

"Just great, JUST GREAT," the thief exclaimed, "First I'm ratted out by a lunatic," Govegein had to give him that, even he knew that being that calm in an ambush just was not normal, and time travel made lesser beings uneasy. "Then, I'm tied to a horse going who-knows-where, and now I'm captured by the Empire for being a Stormcloak being carted off to who-knows-where-else!" His voice got higher and louder as he progressed. Govegein guessed that he was not used to getting caught, probably not used to stealing either thinking back to his form. "And to top it all off I'm stuck sitting next to some psycho they actually had to gag when they caught him!"

"Watch your tongue!" the Nord next to Govegein shouted, silencing the thief across from him, "You speak to Ulfric Stormcloak the true High King!"

"Stormcloak, huh? I guess you are the one leading this little rebellion?" when Govegein said "little rebellion" Ulfric Glared across to him. "So if they've caught you, then where are we going?"

"Where ever it is, Sovngarde awaits." the soldier replied as they rode into a walled in town he referred to as Helgen. The he began recounting tales about his younger days there. Govegein took note of the white haired Imperial, referred to as General Tullius by the soldier, talking to some black clad Ayleid looking folks the soldier had called the Thalmor.

As the carriage stopped, he noticed the Executioner sharpening his axe. "Krosis," Govegein spat as they filed off of the cart.

"Isn't that your friend's name?" the thief quietly asked him.

"It is also the cover all curse word in the dragon language." Govegein replied.

"Dragons? Aren't those just old stories?"

_How long have I been gone?_ Govegein thought, not for the first time. "You wish," was his answer.

"Imperials love their damned lists." The soldier said as an Imperial pulled out the paper.

"Jarl Ulfric of Windhelm," he said and Ulfric stepped forward. "Ralof, of Riverwood," the soldier stepped forward. "Um, who are you two?" he said gesturing to Govegein and the thief.

"I am Govegein of Bromjunaar," he said, stepping forward, "or I was, but not anymore."

"Never heard of the place, but I'm sure we will send your remains back there."

_Again, how long have I been gone? Bromjunaar was one of the largest cities before my punishment._ Govegein pondered as the thief stepped up.

"Raddin of … nowhere really" Raddin joined Govegein at the chopping block.

"Well at least we have something in common," Govegein muttered, "Nowhere to go back to."

After the first Stormcloak was decapitated, Govegein was called to the block. As he stepped forward a roar sounded in the distance and he froze. NO.

The soldiers and civilians were startled by this alien sound, but the captain shouted above them, "I said, next prisoner!"

Govegein was pushed forward and as he was lowered to the block he heard the roar again. Please anyone but him! A great black dragon landed atop the keep and called down his signature meteor shower. "Alduin" Govegein breathed.

* * *

**And everyone dies the end...**

**Nah just messin, I assume most of you have played the game, so you know how this goes. Even if you haven't, feel free to review and say so.**


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2- The Fall of Helgen

Alduin roared, knocking everyone back. "This way!" Govegein heard Ralof shout. He ran towards a guard tower.

_Of course it would be him, if I got pushed forward in time, he would have too. But did I get here first? This seems to be Alduin's first attack._ Govegein wondered at this as he met with Raddin and Ulfric in the tower. As they made their way up the stairs, the wall broke down to reveal Alduin's head. He shot a gout of fire and burned a Stormcloak alive. As Alduin left, Govegein and Raddin used the hole to escape the tower, jumping through a burning home. There they met with the list-bearing Imperial, Hadvar.

"You two still alive? Good," he said as he greeted the prisoners, "Stick with me if you want to live." Alduin landed before a group of nearby civilians incinerating a man.

"I'm not liking our odds." Raddin remarked as they ran throughout the burning city.

"True, but now is not the time for talk," Govegein retorted, "Now is the time to run."

"Oh no, is that fear? You were stone faced during the ambush and you're scared now? We aren't going to survive are we?" Raddin was panicking now. Govegein grabbed him and pulled him towards the wall, just before the black dragon landed and burned another civilian.

"Not with that attitude we're not," Hadvar said as he caught up. "Make your way to the keep, I'll meet you there." The prisoners ran off. "I'm sure they didn't really need to be executed anyway."

As Govegein and Raddin neared the keep they were blocked by Hadvar and Ralof. "Ralof, out of my way"

"No, I'm not letting some backstabbing Imperial swine live this encounter!"

"Okay, I'm sensing a back-story here, let's continue it when we aren't getting killed by the MOST POWERFUL DRAGON IN HISTORY!" Govegein shouted at them. He and Raddin grabbed the rival soldiers and dragged them into the barracks.

Once inside, the two calmed down. "Okay, now let's see if we can get those bindings off," Ralof said as he cut the ropes binding Raddin's hands.

"No need for me," Govegein said as his ropes burned away, cringing at the unfamiliar flow of magika. "Next time use shackles, not ropes."

"You could have done that at any time?" Raddin asked dumbfounded.

"Yes, but we were always surrounded by enemies, and in my current state, I can't really fight." Govegein replied.

"Anyway, grab some weapons and armor, you will definitely need it." Hadvar interrupted. As the newly released prisoners rummaged through the barracks, Ralof grabbed a war axe. Hadvar had to ask, "You don't plan on using that on me do you?"

Ralof paused to consider, "No, the strange Breton is right, we need to work together to survive this." He tied the axe to his belt and looked at the two other prisoners.

Govegein had found a set of heavy Imperial armor and tested a sword-axe combo. "I'll need to get the hang of these back." He said, spinning the deadly blades.

Raddin had looted a combination of Imperial and Stormcloak armor. "What? I don't want to be mistaken by some crazy soldier as someone from the other side." He said before strapping a battle axe to his back and a sword to his hip.

"He's right whoever may be in the keep may be frantic from what's happening outside," Govegein supplied, tossing Raddin a shield after sheathing his own weapons.

"We'll see, imperial soldiers aren't as unstable as Stormcloaks," Hadvar said.

Offended Ralof said, "Well at least the Stormcloaks are not as weak as the Imperials, stuffed up on their posh habits."

"Save the infighting for when we are safe from the dragon" Govegein scolded them. _I'll have to rely on blades until I can figure out what happened to the magika._ _And we 'Dragon Priests' were so proud of our magical abilities._ The four began the decent into the keep.

* * *

As it turns out, Govegein was right, whatever soldiers that were inside the keep were panicking because of their brush from death itself. Standing in Alduin's presence will do that to you, Govegein thought. "Actually, I'm surprised that you three are taking this so well, you should be more like this," he said as he sidestepped and decapitated a babbling soldier.

"What just because something out of Talos's worst nightmares is tearing up Helgen? I'd like to think we Nords are heartier than that!" Ralof replied.

"So, you're saying that we Nords are braver then the Hero-God of mankind, who was also a Nord by the way," Raddin countered. The joke went over Govegein's head.

"Sh-shut up." Ralof stammered as Hadvar burst out laughing. As the four rounded a corner, descending deeper into the keep, they came upon a torture chamber.

"Gods, I wish we didn't need this place," Hadvar replied, instantly becoming more solemn.

"Well, you don't really," Ralof said looking at the cages. Then a shot of lighting crossed their path.

"No more psychos running around here trying to run me through spouting nonsense about winged death." A thin man in Imperial armor and a hood calmly said as he stepped out of his corner. "Then again you don't seem to have been reduced to babbling idiots."

"We aren't, but we are being attacked by a dragon, so let us through," Raddin supplied trying to pass the torturer.

"There's nothing down that way," the torturer replied.

"But there is something in this cage," Govegein said pulling some lock picks out of a discarded backpack. He quickly picked the lock and took the gear off of the dead mage inside. "Learned to pick from a friend, besides there is a draft coming in from down the hall, something leading outside must have been knocked open."

The four continued on to find a cave opening behind a knocked down wall. "See, just like I said." Inside they found a medium sized cavern.

As Hadvar stepped into the cave, the exit was blocked by falling rocks. "Well, I guess there's no going back," he said as if he almost got crushed every day. Raddin ventured deeper into the cave and quickly sprinted back out.

"Sp-sp-sp-sp-sp-sp-sp-sp-sp-" Govegein punched Raddin in the face, "OOWWW, why would you do that?" he said holding his nose.

"Isn't that how you stop a babbling idiot?" Govegein said peering into the next room. "You're afraid of spiders too? What happened to being hardier that your god?" Govegein shouted from the other cavern.

"Everyone has their weaknesses, and they're giant, hairy creatures from the depths of Oblivion THAT NEED TO BE IMMOLATED!" Raddin said quickly. Hadvar sighed and dragged him through the web infested scene of carnage that had taken place while Govegein apparently regained his duel wielding prowess.

"You really can be a child sometimes, you know that?"

"We just met, and you're lucky I'm even passing through that room."

After dispatching the spiders, and Govegein tearing apart a bear in the next room, they found the exit they had been searching for. "I still can't believe you did that to that bear… it was asleep, we could have just snuck by," Raddin commented, recalling the gruesome scene.

"Anyway, you should warn nearby villages, I will find the Stormcloaks and warn them, Hadvar, you do the same for the imperials," Ralof said.

As the two soldiers walked towards their separate destinations, Raddin turned to Govegein. "So, what now?"

"What do you mean?" Govegein asked, looking at Raddin like he was a fool.

"Do we go our separate ways, or do we attempt to warn the closest Jarl? Seeing as those two obviously aren't." Raddin replied.

Govegein began to walk down the hillside, "You're a free man now do as you please. As for me, I'm going to the nearest city to try to learn what I can."

At the sound of wolves in the distance, Raddin quickly caught up to Govegein. As Raddin began to follow him, Govegein thought to himself, _Well, I do need a guide. Not to mention, I need to figure out whatever happened to the magika of the world if I'm ever to return to normal._ Unsuccessfully attempting to push the thought of Alduin the Doombringer from his head

* * *

**Will Govegein learn about magic? Who is Govegein? Will Alduin eat everyone? Will Raddin ever not wet himself upon entering battle? Some of these questions may be answered in the next chapter of _The Warlord and The Dragonborn_. Just type away at the review box and tell me how much you like (or hate) this story, be as colorful as you want.**


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3- The Giant Slayers

"So what's this about learning what you can?" Raddin asked Govegein as they left Riverwood, after a night slept in the Sleeping Giant Inn. Following the river, for which the town is named, towards the city of Whiterun. Raddin had considerably calmed down from the series of events that had occurred the day before. The two had discarded the stolen soldier's uniforms only to replace them with less conspicuous armor taken from bandits.

Govegein regarded the other man, they were average heights, although Govegein was a bit taller. Raddin had taken an iron helmet, gauntlets, and boots from the bandits as well as a set studded armor. "Let's just say I have not been paying attention to recent events." _He'd probably think that I was even more insane if I told him I came from the past._ He had taken a full set of iron armor, changing the helmet for a mage's hood he had swiped from Helgen. His new steel sword was strapped above the war axe he kept from the ordeal, while Raddin kept the battle axe and sword, also finding a banded shield amongst the bandits.

"Well that explains why you didn't know about the war, but what about this place you say you came from, Bro- no, Bar- no, whatever you called it? I asked around the inn about it, and no one knew anything about it."

"Save it for later, we have more important things to do, Whiterun may already be ashes. I told you we didn't need to sleep." Govegein said, brushing away Raddin's questions. As they rounded a bend in the road Whiterun came into view on the horizon.

"Told you that we could take our time with it." Raddin said running ahead and looking around, "See, nod horrifying, flying, black lizard in sight." Raddin stopped dead in his tracks causing Govegein to walk into him. "A giant" Raddin mumbled racing forward.

"Oh for the love of Mara, where are you going?" Govegein shouted, running after Raddin. Then he saw them, a small group of people approaching a large, club wielding giant standing in a nearby farm. The biggest of them, clad in steel armor, rushed the giant, screaming a war cry. As the giant reached down to grab him, arrows were shot into its hand by a red haired huntress in familiar looking armor. The steel armored man was followed by two women in hide armor cutting at the giants legs.

Raddin, uncharacteristically jumped into the fray, embedding his axe in the giants back, breaking the handle, and drawing his sword and shield to continue the onslaught. In a short amount of time, the giant fell. The huntress walked up to Raddin and congratulated him as he retrieved his battle axe. She seemed to be offering him something but he shook his head; that was when she noticed Govegein.

Rage began to cloud her face, pleasing features warped and began to look almost wolfish. The woman walked towards Govegein. _Where have I seen that armor before?_ Govegein thought watching her movements.

"And where were you while your friend fought for his life?" the huntress said as she reached Govegein.

"One, he was fighting for your lives. Two, you had it covered. And Three, why is your armor so familiar?" he listed in response. Govegein then proceeded to grab at the cloth covering her chest.

The woman jumped back and punched Govegein in the face. "What are you doing?" she shouted at him. The large man in steel armor backed away, holding back a furious woman in a hide helmet and shielding the other woman.

"I swear that I've seen this before," Govegein said wiping blood from his mouth. He held up a gauntlet and began to inspect it.

The woman looked at her now bare hand and exclaimed, "How did you do that?"

Peeling back the old fabrics, while holding the woman away, Govegein's eyebrows rose. "Oh," he simply said tossing the gauntlet back at the woman and walking away. _I made it. Early work, that explains much._

She looked at the now revealed insignia in the inside of her gauntlet, a strange face with tusks. "What do you know about this?" she asked, "This armor has been passed down from mother to daughter in my family for generations."

"Then it should be in a museum," Govegein replied as he lead Raddin away. Then to Raddin he said, "What was that about?"

Raddin looked at him dumbfounded, "Nord women don't like it when you try to take their armor, and women in general don't like people they just met undressing them! Why did you do that anyway?"

"I had to check something, and not that. Why did you run into battle instead of away from it?" Govegein inquired.

"When people are in trouble I … I don't know I just have to help." Raddin said, "It's not like I wasn't afraid, I was terrified, but before I knew it my axe was in its back."

Govegein looked behind them. One of the women was still trying to calm down the other two, and the large man was off to the side. All four of them were walking in the same direction as the duo, towards Whiterun. Seeing Govegein watching them, the huntress's face grew red and the large man began to run towards them. Govegein faced forward, "We might be in trouble."

The large man caught up with them and picked them up by the backs of their armors and pulled the two to the side as the three women passed, the angrier two pushed along by the calmer one. "Hi I'm Farkas, and why would you do that to Aela. One of the very few rules of the Companions is never, and I repeat, **_NEVER_** get Aela angry." The mountain of muscle said. "She is liable to hunt you down and drag you into her own personal plane of Oblivion, and it makes Coldharbor look like a paradise."

As Farkas was going over his theories on what he thought Aela could to the Govegein, a rather stringy looking Orc approached them. "By the Nine! Are you Farkas?" the excited little Orismer said looking up at him. "I am a huge fan of the Companions and their adventures. Is there any chance that I could join?"

"You will have to talk to talk to Kodlak about that, but I don't think that you are quite Companions material," Farkas said examining the Orc's thin arms.

"I know that I'm not that impressive, but I can train and get better," the Orc said looking at Farkas's unexpectant expression. "I bet these whelps can help me train," gesturing to the iron clad duo.

"Who are you calling a whelp, shrimp?" Govegein said approaching the Orc.

"No, no, no, that's just what they call the new guys in the companions, right Farkas?" he said looking at the empty space where Farkas was. "If I take back the whelp comment, will you train me?"

Pulling Govegein to the side, Raddin whispered, "It can't be a good idea to bring the guy, I mean just look at him. How well will he stand against a bandit, let alone a dragon?"

"You look at him he has more courage in the face of danger that you. How long do you think he traveled to get here only to have his dreams shot down by that huge guy? What do you think he encountered on his way here? And if we're talking about dragons, you're still here aren't you? Plus, I've trained with worse." Govegein said thinking back to his days in Bromjunaar with Raghot before turning back to the Orc, "So what's your name?"

"I'm Ugdulub gro-Galrag, and even though I might be weak now, I will become the strongest Companion." Ugdulub said.

"Well Ugdulub, we should probably buy you some armor," Raddin sighed walking towards Whiterun.

"I can make some," both Govegein and Ugdulub said. Both Govegein and Raddin looked at the little orc surprised.

"I can at least help," Ugdulub amended. And the three walked towards the gates of Whiterun.

* * *

**First rule of the Companions: Don't talk about the companions**

**Second rule of the companions: Don't talk about the companions**

**Third rule of the companions (Added in memory of Yorik, Stendarr protect him): Never get Aela angry, EVER**

**So yeah third chapter thanks for reading. Please respond to the following question in the wherever: what should I do with Lydia when she becomes the Housecarl?**


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4- Warning Balgruuf

As the newly formed trio approached Whiterun, they were stopped by a guard, who wanted to know their business entering the city. Looking up at the towering walls and gate, Govegein pushed Raddin forward.

"Um, w-we have information for the Jarl. Riverwood may be in danger," the Nord said before backing away from the weary guard. Obviously not happy about going against his orders the guard reluctantly entered the city. "I guess he has enough sense to listen to warnings," Raddin said more confidently.

"Or it could be that you two look like you just left a war zone," Ugdulub supplied.

"Aww, we took the bandit armor so we didn't have to look like that," Raddin whined, instantly losing his bravado.

"Well we are still covered in a mix of other people's blood and ours, we should probably wash our wounds," Govegein said, "Well, more your wounds,"

"Har, har. I'm going to see the Jarl about the dragon attacks." Raddin said walking away.

Govegein stood with Ugdulub beyond the gate and looked at his surroundings for the first time. They were standing on a small bridge over an outflow stream from the local sewer. The city was built on one of the few large hills in the plain that made the Hold of Whiterun, with the Castle sitting on its top. Before the two was a smithy and armor and weapon shop.

Out front of the shop stood a man in Imperial armor arguing with a woman standing before the forge. They seemed to be debating whether or not the woman could fill an order of weapons, she was against it. "Hey, Ugbulb, I'm going to go to the castle to speak with the wizard there, you take these and buy yourself a good weapon," Govegein said tossing a gold pouch to the small Orc.

"My name is Ugdulub, and how are you sure that I wouldn't run with this?"

"In my few dealings with your people, I've learned that they are nothing if not honorable, and I would put you through some of the outlawed tortures I've come across if you stole my money," Govegein replied, a wicked grin creeping up his hooded face.

As he walked away he heard Ugdulub mutter, "That is a lot of gold." Following the main street through the market he ascended the stairs to find an old, burnt tree in a courtyard. Past a raving lunatic, he saw an overturned boat-turned-building from which he could hear the sounds of rowdy merrymaking and the starts of a fight. As he pushed forward towards the castle, the guards had called it Dragon's Reach, the sound of the city began to fade.

* * *

Entering the castle, he was not surprised by a terrified Raddin explaining his situation to an angry looking Dunmer holding an Elven make sword to his throat. Using this convenient distraction, he slipped into a side room with two strange tables pressed up against a wall, one looked to be used to mix ingredients, _probably a station for alchemy,_ the other had a familiar magic symbol embedded in it, _and that must be for enchanting items_. Hunched over a long table in the middle of the room was a man in blue mage's robes.

Looking up he muttered "Oh gods, another fool attempting to learn magic." Approaching Govegein, he said "Hello I am the court wizard Farengar Secret-Fire, how can I help you?"

Knowing that he would just be proving the insolent mage right, Govegein decided to ask the question that had been nagging at him ever since he left his own time. "Have there been any major events in the magika of the world lately?" he wondered at how well this question could even be answered as he leant over a nearby Enchanting table.

Farengar looked at Govegein as if Govegein had grown another head and had sung a ballad in harmony with himself. He replied with a flat out "No."

"Really, nothing that could have drastically changed the magika over a few centuries? Like if, theoretically, someone from the first era were to come to this era, would they be able to cast their old magic?" he questioned more thoroughly as he looked up from the unraveling of the mage's robes.

"Well magic is, by its very nature, changing. It could be possible that over several centuries, its properties have shifted enough to be different from what a mage of the first era is familiar with." Farengar replied slowly changing his view of Govegein because of the theories this question could start.

The new knowledge of the enchantment he thought he knew confirmed it. _Just great, I'm going to have to learn everything again it seems. At least the old weapon styles still work. _

He was about to continue the discussion when a voice interrupted. "Farengar, I've found someone who can help you with your dragon project." That was when a man in royal furs and a crown led in Raddin. "Go ahead and fill him in with all the details."

"We will continue our discussion later, sir," Farengar said to Govegein. Then turning to Raddin he said, "So the Jarl thinks you can be of some use to me?" in that I-doubt-it- way of his. As he began to explain what he needed "fetched", Raddin's face grew more confused about something than terrified about entering a burial mound.

"What does this stone have to do with dragons?" he asked when Farengar was finished.

Govegein recognized the kind of stone Farengar had described. "It's a detailed record of dragons that were killed in the war, their names, when and where they died, who killed them, and, probably most importantly, where they were buried." At the surprised looks from Raddin and Farengar, Govegein said, "What? The, uh, ancient lore of Skyrim always interested me." He hoped that they would buy that.

"Fantastic, who would have known we had the same hobby?" Farengar shouted. "Are you interested in learning more about magic? I think you might have some potential, I'll even throw in a spell or two for a fellow historian." Farengar pulled out two Destruction tomes, a Restoration tome, and an alteration tome.

_Some potential?_ Govegein thought to himself, but he said "Yes thank you, you are being too generous." As he looked through the first destruction tome, it burst into flames. Govegein shouted as he jumped back, "I knew something was rotten!"

"No! That's how spell books work, look at your hands," Farengar said drawing back.

Govegein felt the new magika flow for the first time, it felt closer to what he had known, looking down at his hands, he saw that they were alight again, like when he burnt away the ropes binging him. This time though, the fire was stronger and it felt like it could reach out. "Amazing," he said dispelling the fire. Picking up the next book and reading it, Govegein saw it disappear in a bolt of electricity, leaving the lightning in his hands. The Alteration book decayed, leaving him feeling stronger than he had in, technically, centuries. Finally the Restoration book burst into light and left Govegein feeling rejuvenated. Thanking Farengar for his generosity, the two warriors, one with some new tricks, left the palace.

* * *

Govegein found Ugdulub attempting to lift a large sack of armor and weapons just outside of the armorer's shop. "Do you need help, or should we just leave you here?" Govegein said.

"Be nice." Raddin said jabbing him in the side.

"Oh, hey guys, I only had enough for this much," Ugdulub greeted them opening the bag.

"Only?" Govegein said looking into the bag.

* * *

**WOOHOO! Chapter four! and Ugdu-Ubgu-Udug ... I can't pronounce his name. Plus, now that Govegein has some magic, he could pull of some cool stuff. Well all you guys (or girls ... if any) need to know is Bleak Falls Barrow next week.**

**Yup**

**Bye.**


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5- The Bandits of Bleak Falls

As they walked up the mountain side in their new armor, Raddin looked at Govegein. He strode forward in newly forged steel armor and a black hood, the set had some minor enchantments on them. Looking down, Raddin saw the gleam of the new steel war axe strapped to Govegein's hip. "Are you sure we should just leave him there?"

"Are you sure you should have given him your armor? Besides he is not ready for real combat yet," Govegein replied. "It's better that he builds up some muscle at the lumber mill at least." Looking down at the little town of Riverwood, Govegein could see Ugdulub struggling with the logs in his new steel armor, a war-hammer was leaned against a nearby pillar.

Then Govegein looked at Raddin in his old gear, the only thing he took was a new battle axe. "I think that most of the more expensive armors don't really suit me. I just can't move as freely, you know?"

As they climbed the trail, they approached an old Nordic tower. "Stop, bandits." Govegein said pointing forward. "How should we take them?" They crouched behind a rock to plan their next move.

"Can we try talking this time?" Raddin attempted to plead with the strange Breton.

Govegein chuckled. "No, if you try that they will fill you with arrows and loot your corpse. These people are all the same." Getting up, he drew his weapons and rushed forward.

A blue-green aura enveloped him as a few arrows flew past him. When he reached the first bandit, he cut at the hide armor with his sword and sliced the bandit's neck with the axe. The next bandit struck Govegein in the back with a mace, but the aura reduced the blow's effectiveness. Raddin appeared behind the newcomer and cleaved though the bandit's armor with his battle axe. As the final bandit approached from the tower, Govegein shot a gout of flames at her. Raddin took this opportunity to bash her over the side of the mountain with his shield. Looking down, Raddin said, "She might live. Nords are a tough people."

"Let's move on," Govegein said moving towards the barrow. Ascending the stairs towards the entrance, arrows flew towards the duo. "Not even a minuet of rest." One of the arrows pierced Raddin's left arm as they ran towards a half-baked ambush. Reaching the top first, Raddin dashed towards one of the two archers and killed him before he could draw his knife. As Govegein reached the top, he cut an arrow that was flying towards Raddin in half. Spinning he threw his axe at the other archer, splitting her skull.

"Now you're just trying to make me look bad." Raddin complained slicing the next bandit's arm.

"Get better and I won't be able to anymore," Govegein replied decapitating another bandit and sending a stream of lightning towards another.

As Raddin finished off his bandit, he looked around, ready for another attacker, but there wasn't any in sight. As Govegein opened the large doors to the barrow, Raddin shouted after him "See? You're doing it again."

As the duo entered the barrow, the stench of rotting skeever assailed their noses. "Damned vermin, I think they actually got worse over the centuries," Govegein said stepping over the large rat-like creatures.

"What was that?" a rather burly looking bandit said looking towards the door, obscured by a large pillar and a mound of rubble. As the bandit and his two friends approached the door, Raddin spun out from behind the pillar, cleaving one of the smaller bandit's heads.

As the large bandit turned towards Raddin, an axe embedded itself in his back. "Oh no you don't. You're my prey, muscles," Govegein taunted, heating his sword in a small flame. "I just had to try out this new idea."

While Govegein swiped at the large bandit with a blade of red-hot steel, Raddin was having some trouble with an archer. Hiding behind his shield, he slowly attempted to approach the bow wielding bandit. As arrows bounced off of his shield, Raddin drew his own sword. Just as he reached the archer, the large bandit falls on her, crushing her. Raddin looked, horrified, at the burning cuts left in the large bandit. "Couldn't you have just done that with an enchantment?"

"Yeah, but we didn't really have the time to enchant the new gear." Govegein replied simply.

Raddin shuddered, "I don't see how you can sully good craftsmanship with magic anyway."

Govegein looked at him, "Do you have a problem with making a good piece of equipment even better? Just because it is magic, does not make it evil."

"Well I think it does when it runs on another creature's soul. How can anyone do that?" Raddin said as they delved deeper into the barrow.

"They make good power sources, and conduits of power, and various other things," Govegein said as they approached the end of a winding hallway. "Anyway let's leave the 'ethics of magic' debate for later. Watch this bandit," he finished. He was crouching watching the strong looking bandit approach a lever. The bandit appeared to be muttering something, Govegein could not make it out, but the bandit seemed very agitated nevertheless. As the bandit pulled the lever, a series of almost inaudible clicks sounded around the room. This was followed by a few dozen darts hitting the bandit. He crumbled where he stood.

"What in Oblivion?" Raddin questioned, looking to Govegein for answers.

"Poison, one of the more common traps in these burial grounds," Govegein explained walking into the room. "It is connected to the lever, which seems to open the gate in front of us."

As Raddin entered, he approached three strange, small obelisks. "What are these?"

"Those, my friend, are the keys to opening the door. We just need to input the correct code, which is on the wall above the gate. Really who leaves the key hanging on the door?" Govegein said, complaining about the stupidity of the ancient Nords.

The two quickly unlocked the gate, dispatched some skeevers, and descended the wooden staircase. Looking into the web covered room, Raddin's legs became weak. "I have a really bad feeling about this."

"Ooh! Look a scroll," Govegein said, ignoring Raddin's protests. "It appears to be a Fireball Scroll, this could be useful later," he said tucking the scroll into a hidden pocket. Turning back to Raddin, seeing him frozen in the doorway, he said, "Come on, it's just some webs". Grabbing Raddin's arm they proceeded to find the path before them blocked by a cave in. A side passage, on the other hand, was only blocked by a wall of webbing.

After cutting through the webbing, Govegein threw Raddin into the room. "Face your fears for once," he said simply following.

"Hey, you two," a voice said from the other side of the room. "I might need a little help, you know?" The man, he appeared to be another bandit, was wrapped in webbing, hanging from the wall.

"It will be okay, I've got you," Raddin said approaching, with Govegein a few steps behind. As the Nord approached the bandit, Govegein heard rustling coming from the ceiling.

"Watch out!" he shouted, pushing Raddin out of the way as a gigantic spider dropped down where they had been standing. Govegein quickly retrieved the battle axe from Raddin's back. Turning once, he launched it, cutting off two of the spider's legs and lodging it in the spider's abdomen.

Raddin got up, half fainting from fear, and drew his sword. Entering a state of mind between consciousness and instinct, Govegein noted, nice survival plan. Raddin proceeded to sever two more legs before getting hit by the venomous spit of the spider. Well he's out of commission, but I think that I might have another idea. Govegein reached into his pocket and pulled out the scroll.

"I hope this works, because it would be awesome to see," Govegein said as the scroll incinerated in his hand. The new spell felt familiar to Govegein as the spider faced him. Pointing his enflamed hand at the spider he waited. The spider looked at the Breton as it collected venom in its mouth for another shot. As its jaws opened, Govegein released the raging spell. The flames engulfed the venomous saliva, entering the spider's gaping mouth. As the bolt of flames hit the spider's stomach, it exploded into a ball of burning gasses. The flames could be seen as the burned through the flesh, escaping the spider's exoskeleton.

"That was impressive, now get me down!" shouted the bandit.

"Oh yeah, I forgot about you," Govegein said, rousing Raddin from his venom induced slumber.

"Rend the flesh!" Raddin shouted, snapping up. "Oh I had the strangest nightmare. I was killing some handsome person an-"

"No one cares Raddin," Govegein said, approaching the bound bandit. "So what do we get for saving you?"

"Um, I'll let you have some of the treasure that lies at the end of this barrow. I have the claw, which is needed to get there," the bandit bargained.

"So why should we believe you?" Govegein countered, "You're obviously aligned with all of the bandits we killed."

"My gang and I had a falling out, hence the locked gate, and the web I'm stuck on is covering the door proceeding into the barrow," the bandit said smugly.

"You drive a hard bargain," Govegein said cutting the bandit down.

"Ha! You'll never get the treasure!" the bandit said running deeper into the barrow.

"Should we run after him?" Raddin said, eager to leave the spider nest.

"No, let's walk." Govegein said following the bandit to the next room. They found the bandit skewered by a corpse's sword. The corpse stood behind the bandit, then it turned to look over its shoulder at the two newcomers with glowing blue eyes.

* * *

**Zombies, zombies everywhere.**

**Okay, Draugr if you want to get technical, but they are just specific zombies ... with glowing eyes**

**and Raddin dreams of being Kreig.**

**Read, review, maybe feel some kind of emotion if you have the time, then follow deeper into the barrow.**


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6- The Treasure of Bleak Falls Barrow

The rotting body drew its ancient blade from the bandit's back. Turning towards Raddin and Govegein, it shot forward, knocking Govegein over. As it turned towards Raddin it rose its black sword and let out an incoherent garble before rushing him. Raddin knocked it's bade aside with his shield and cut the walking corpse deeply across the chest. The thing didn't even show any awareness that it had been cleaved. Raising its sword above its head to cut at Raddin from the top, a voice said, "Kriist tum, kendov." Govegein rose from the floor. Retrieving a golden sculpture from the bandit's corpse, he said simply, "That should calm the Draugr down."

"What? How? I thought I was done for. How did you do that?" Raddin spurted out. He examined the corpse. "And what is a Draugr?" Poking various places to see if the corpse reacted to touch, he recoiled at the rotting fluids that oozed out.

"Draugr are walking corpses that have been treated in a Nordic burial ritual," Govegein explained. "This one is from the Dragon Cult, in fact most are; some scholars believe that they are cursed with undeath because they worship the dragons. Seeing as it worshipped dragons, in life, as a soldier, it was trained to obey orders in the dragon language, which is how I stopped it." As he passed the Draugr, it ran ahead gesturing Govegein to follow. "It appears that he wants to be our guide."

"Great," Raddin exhaled. After following the Draugr through some burial rooms and past some traps, he asked, "So you really are obsessed with Nordic history? I mean you even know a dead language, the only ones who can speak the dragon language these days are people like that Ulfric guy."

"Well I wouldn't say obsessed, I just know a lot about that time period," Govegein quickly covered. As they passed some Draugr rose from their slumbers. They seemed to be whispering amongst themselves and soon a parade began to follow Govegein and Raddin as they descended deeper into the catacomb, led by the Draugr with a gash in his chest.

The Draugr approached a doorway blocked by roots and rubble. He turned towards Govegein and said, "Krif ru'un." In the room beyond, amongst the rubble and debris stood a large, formidable looking Draugr with a great sword strapped to its back.

Raddin, looking confused and disgusted, the parade of Draugr had drifted uncomfortably close to him, said, "Explain please."

"Do you remember the training I mentioned the Draugr went through in life? Well it only allows three places that it can receive orders from, any Dragon, some dragon priests or generals, and a squad leader. This appears to be the squad leader for this group, and I have to fight him." Govegein said approaching the lone Draugr. "Plus, he is blocking our way forward."

The large Draugr faced Govegein, its eyes flaring. The two drew their weapons. The Draugr said, "Latiid toz. Nid luh." Govegein nodded and the two struck, Govegein holding back the great sword with both his weapons. Govegein took a side step and diverted the blade.

The Draugr watching softly chanted "Krif, Krif, Krif"

As the battle progressed, the Draugr's movements became more fluid, more similar to Govegein's own technique. _Well of course, we were trained in the same style. Although this is only one of several styles I picked up over the years._ All of a sudden, Govegein's movements changed, his sword and axe stopped moving as one. Taking a stance where only his side faced his opponent, Govegein lunged with his sword, clipping the Draugr's lead arm. As the Draugr swung to retaliate, Govegein rose his axe, catching the great sword for a moment, just long enough to cut the Draugr's fingers.

The chanting rose.

The great sword clattered to the ground, the Draugr looked up, not yet defeated and spoke, "Nid haar wah hiif hi daar tiid." As the Draugr curled its hands into fists and took a defensive stance, Govegein stepped back in shock.

The onlookers were shouting now, leaving Raddin terrified.

"Dreh Zu'u mindok hi?" Govegein questioned. The Draugr gave no answer, but instead rushed towards Govegein. The decayed fists smashed into Govegein's face, stunning him. The opening allowed the Draugr leaned down to pick Govegein up for a finisher, but Govegein had recovered. He let the sword drop into the large Draugr's back, and decapitated the Draugr with his axe.

The chanting ceased.

"LIF!" Govegein shouted. The on looking Draugr slowly returned to their respective resting places, waiting for the next time they could walk.

Raddin approached Govegein, who was retrieving his sword, and asked, "What was that about?"

Sheathing his weapons, Govegein said, "What?" He began to walk into the barrows inner catacombs. "We got through the first part easily enough. Although we probably shouldn't order around anymore Draugr, they seem to gain more self-awareness then."

"Is that what happened, because whatever it said shook you," Raddin said, catching up with Govegein.

"Never mind that, we are going to have to fight from now on. Those past Draugr only answered to the big one, the next ones wont. And before you ask how I know that, it's because the leader is buried before his subordinates, leaving him deeper in the barrow, seeing as there is more barrow to come, there must be another leader." A few minutes later, they were surrounded by the walking dead. "Hate to say 'I told you so,' but I did." Arming himself with fire and lightning, Govegein showered the corpses before him in Destruction magic. Behind him, Raddin cut and slashed at the decayed forms, dispatching them quickly enough.

After defeating the Draugr in the room Raddin pushed aside Govegein, "You're hiding something. What is it?" Raddin held Govegein against the wall, using all of his strength.

Govegein looked at him and quickly pushed him off. "You'll learn what you need to when you need to, asking for anything too soon is foolish. All you need to know right now is that I know far more than you and I am on your side," accepting this, Raddin begrudgingly walked away. "For now." Govegein added under his breath.

"You're lucky I trust you," Raddin said over his shoulder.

"Just move on, defeat one foe at a time," Govegein replied.

"Are you calling yourself my foe?" Raddin said, turning.

"No," Govegein said. "I'm saying they are." In an instant they were surrounded again by several Draugr.

Sighing, Raddin heaved up his battle axe. "How many people were buried here?" he said beating one of the Draugr away with his axe.

"I don't know, a few hundred maybe? It varies from burial ground to burial ground." Govegein said as he whirled through the fight. Blades cleaved flesh as the duo fought the horde of walking corpses. By the end of the fight, the two were exhausted, weapons and armor marred with the remains of the now motionless corpses around them.

Raddin looked at Govegein in disbelief. "I thought that you were stronger than this," he said through breaths. Slowly leaving the battlefield, the warriors found themselves in a wide hallway with worn carvings covering the walls.

"Even the best will get tired after a while," Govegein said, breathing heavily. "And I may be out of practice." Walking down the hallway, the comrades were blocked by a circular door. The door was built around a circular centerpiece, with rings sprouting out from the center. The lower half was covered by a stone slab, and the rings had carving of animal on them. "Of course there would be a Claw Locked door," Govegein said throwing up his arms.

"What's a Claw Locked door?" Raddin asked, immensely confused.

"This is a door that will only open to the correct combination of symbols and the metallic claw that it was built for. Time to see if this bauble will do the trick," Govegein explained, pulling out the Golden Claw he swiped from the bandit. Turning it over, he read the symbol sequence and spun the rings on the door. Pushing the Golden Claw into the centerpiece, he turned the lock.

The door shuddered and rose revealing a large cavern. On the far side of the cavern, a curved wall rose behind a sarcophagus. Next to the burial area, stairs rose to a separate tunnel and waterfalls framed the scene. Govegein walked into the cavern followed by an awed Raddin. "I'm going to investigate the sarcophagus, you look around and see if you can learn something," Govegein said to Raddin.

Behind Govegein, Raddin seemed to be entranced by the wall. It had strange scratches all over it, but they had a pattern. Approaching it, he said "Do you hear that?"

"What?" Govegein said turning around. Raddin was reaching for the wall. Suddenly an ethereal fire sprung out of one of, what Govegein knew to be, words in the Dragon Language. The flames wrapped themselves around an unblinking Raddin, entering his head and vanishing. "Wha-" Suddenly the lid of the sarcophagus flew up and an armored Draugr rose from it. "By Akatosh, a Deathlord," Govegein said, backing up.

"What in Oblivion is a Deathlord?" Raddin questioned, freed from his entrancement.

"A Deathlord is what the strongest warriors of the ancient Nords were called," Govegein explained. The Draugr rose an ancient war axe that was covered in frost. Water vapor flew by as the Deathlord swung at the intruders. _This is going to be nothing like the other fights,_ Govegein thought to himself. "Raddin, get behind him," as Raddin hesitated the Deathlord swung at him. "He can't defend on both sides, we can beat him if we work together."

Raddin flanked the Deathlord, who stood with shoulders to both of its attackers. Looking from one to the other, it waited for an attack, wreathing its unarmed hand in ice. Raddin attacked first, his sword cutting at the Deathlord's casting arm. The Deathlord quickly blocked Raddin's sword with its axe and blasting a gust of ice with the strength of a blizzard at Govegein.

Seeing this, Govegein countered with a gout of flames to negate the ice. Quickly moving in, he swung up with his own axe, only to have it caught by the Draugr's own axe, the frost enchantment turning Govegein's blade brittle. On the other side, Raddin fought against another gust of ice from behind his shield.

The Deathlord sidestepped and spun, its axe crashing into Raddin's shield, braking his defenses. Holding Govegein at bay with more ice, it took the opportunity to continue its onslaught on Raddin. As Raddin fell back, lightning crackled through the Deathlord's stream of ice, racing up its arm. Ending the spell, the Deathlord faced Govegein and cut him along his chest.

Govegein's steel armor grew cold as the axe began to widdle it down. Hastily, he brought his axe up to defend with, but it shattered on impact with the enchanted weapon. This did give Govegein enough time to cover his hands in a blaze and bury them in the Deathlord's sides. As Raddin approached the powerful Draugr from behind he rose his battle axe above his head. Govegein let the flames erupt from inside the Deathlord's chest as Raddin brought down the axe.

The Deathlord slumped and Raddin pulled him off of Govegein. "Just give it a second, I have to replenish a little Magika." Golden light flowed from his wounds as Govegein got up. "It's just a patch job, but I'll survive. Now let us find that Dragonstone," Govegein said as he picked up the Deathlord's war axe and strapped it to his hip.

Retrieving the stone, the duo climbed the stairs towards the barrow's back exit. "You have to teach me some of the moves you used against that big Draugr," Raddin said. "You were amazing, and then your stance completely changed, decreasing your attack ability along with the area you could get hit in,"

"Yes, yes, I know several styles of fighting with weapons. You tend to pick up a few when you do what I did," Govegein replied, "If we have time I'll give you some tips. Along with that Orismer lad."

"So what did you do before this?" Raddin probed.

"I killed without remorse," Govegein replied grimly as they left the cave.

* * *

**Sorry I was a little late posting this, I was doing . . . stuff . . . yeah . . .**

**So who is Govegein? **

**If you know, leave a review. **

**If you don't know, leave a review.**

**If you know what Lydia should be doing when she becomes the housecarl of one of these, um, people please, please leave a review.**

**If you translated the Dragon language conversations, good on you leave a review.**


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter 7- The White Dragon

Stepping into the light, Govegein found himself looking over a lake. Figuring where he was based on the landscape and the layout of the barrow, he began the trek east towards Riverwood. Raddin kept two or three steps behind Govegein as they approached the small village. Looking towards the lumber mill, they caught no sign of Ugdulub. As they walked through the town, Raddin said, "Shouldn't we be looking for Ugdulub?"

"I'm sure he'll be fine," Govegein said shortly before a familiar voice called out to them.

"Hey guys. The nice siblings from the shop offered me some food a little while back when I finished cutting the wood. They seem to have lost some golden ornamental claw thing," he rambled as he caught up with them, "I think that we should help them. You know since we're heroic adventurers and all?"

Govegein stopped mid step. "One: we are not heroic anything. We are strangers with similar goal for the time being. And B: here is the golden claw, go give it to the shop owner."

"That was nice of you." Raddin said as Ugdulub happily ran for the shop. After a few moments he said, "You do know how to make a proper list right? You can either go one, two, three, etc. or you can say A, B, C, etc."

"Shut up it amuses me." Govegein said as Ugdulub ran back towards them. "And the reward gold helps decision making." Holding out his hand he gestured towards the small orc. Reluctantly Ugdulub handed over the pouch of gold he was given.

Resuming their short journey the trio set off towards Whiterun. Ugdulub frantically begged Govegein and Raddin for a play by play recounting of their adventure. Raddin told him about how he valiantly faced off bandit hordes and legions of undead. Govegein commented with the truthful side of the story between Raddin's fables. He also became overly vivid in explaining the battles, from the stench of scorched flesh to the feeling of the insides of the Deathlord. He held nothing back in hopes of scaring the weedy Orismer boy, but with each re told battle the boy's face grew more and more in awe.

* * *

As the trio reached Whiterun, the sun had begun to set. As Govegein approached, he watched warily for the wolfish redhead he had angered the day before. Raddin was giddily examining the Dragonstone with new interest. Ugdulub followed a few steps behind, still dazed from the tale of Raddin and Govegein's adventure.

"Okay, Raddin go and give Farengar that stone, he kind of creeps me out. I'll stay here and help Ugdulub with his forging skills," Govegein said. He pulled the orc aside as Raddin left towards Dragonsreach. "If you do end up in the Companions, get that angry woman,"

"Aela the Huntress?" Ugdulub clarified.

"Yes, to not want to kill me. In return I'll tech you some ancient forging techniques that I bet have not been seen in an era or two," Govegein finished.

"Alright, I think I can get her on your side eventually. Now what do you think you can show an orc in the ways of smithing?" Ugdulub challenged.

After writing up some plans for some basic armor an adept smith should be able to make, _In the Dragon Cult at least_, Govegein let Ugdulub get to work on his first attempt. He would only pass Govegein's test if he fixed the flaws in the plans, he would show promise if he could improve the armor. As Ugdulub began to see the flaws in the armor he was making and rechecking the plans, Govegein caught sight of a suspicious hooded woman. She ran out of the front gates holding the Dragonstone.

"Krosis, Adrienne watch the apprentice, I've got to check something," Govegein said, beginning his pursuit.

As the woman rounded the corner in the road leaving the city, Govegein leaped off of the battlements, landing in her path. Drawing his new axe and bringing his fire spell to life. "Return the stone and I won't kill you."

"Get out of my way and I won't kill you," the hooded woman said drawing her elven blade.

"Wait, Delphine? The owner of the Sleeping Giant's Inn where Raddin and I slept after Helgen?" Govegein said confused as to why the innkeeper was pointing a sword at him. Even more so when he recognized the watered down Akaviri stance she held. Before he could investigate further, a dragon's roar ripped through the night. Off in the distance Govegein could see the firebreath, but no sign of a meteor shower, so no Alduin. When he turned back, Delphine was gone. Raddin, followed by several guards and an angry Dunmer, ran past Govegein shortly thereafter. "What in Oblivion is happening?"

"Dragon's attacking. We have to help Raddin. Set the armor to cool, and it is cool," Ugdulub said donning his armor as he ran past. Govegein sighed and followed suit, running towards the burning rubble that was a watch tower.

As he approached the watch tower, Govegein asked Raddin, "What are we up against?"

Raddin looked at him, confused, "A dragon?"

"No, there are different types of . . . you'll find out eventually," Govegein gave up his attempt to educate the Nord. While the knowledge was useful, it wasn't necessary.

"Okay, Govegein and I will search for survivors, Ugdulub and Irileth take the guards and cover for us," Raddin said. He seemed to be a natural born leader, at least in emergency situations.

As Govegein and Raddin approached the ruins, though, a guard emerged from the tower. "No, get back! It's still here somewhere! Hroki and Tor just got grabbed when they tried to make a run for it. Oh Gods, here it comes again!"

A white dragon flew in from the mountains, Govegein recognized him, it was Mirmulnir, one of Alduin's most prized stooges. While not the most powerful of the Dovah, Mirmulnir was exceedingly cunning and loyal to Alduin. MIrmulnir swooped down and incinerated a guard. A hail of arrows rose to try to meet him, but none of them hit the flying beast. Ugdulub was having problems with his bow. "Take your hammer and meet him when he lands," Govegein shouted.

"Tol zul . . . govegein dovah sonaak. Het wah fiit ahst dii iliis einzuk," Mirmulnir said. He hovered above Govegein and shot a gout of flames at him. Govegein countered with his own fire.

"Not tonight, dragon," he said.

"We will see, outcast," Mirmulnir said as he landed. Immediately, Ugdulub bought his steel hammer down on Mirmulinr's wing. Mirmulnir howled in pain as he attempted to flex his broken wing. "Hi fen biis, ogiim," he shouted before another gout of flames escaped from MIrmulnir's gaping maw. Raddin had taken Govegein's place at Mirmulnir's head and began to slash at his neck. Govegein, on the other hand had begun to work on the other wing, cutting at the thin membrane.

Mirmulnir, temporarily crippled attempted to flee, but was met with Irileth's sparks and the arrows of the guards. Raddin was back at Mirmulir's head, and he began to hack away furiously. Blocking yet another flame with his shield, Raddin climbed atop Mirmulnir's head, resting on the neck of the dragon. From there he proceeded to hack and slash at Mirmulnir's face. The dragon howled in anger and agony. Raddin, in a finishing move, stuck his sword through Mirmulnir's eye, killing him. With his dying breath, Mirmulnir gasped "Dovahkiin, no!" As Raddin slid off of Mirmulnir's neck, the dragon began to burn away. His flesh evaporating to nothingness and floating off into the sky.

Then, from the skeleton left behind, a multi-colored flame shot towards Raddin, engulfing him. The colors danced across his flesh, melding into it. In a daze Raddin took a deep breath, looked to the sky and shouted, "FUS!" The ground shook with the force of the shockwave that left the Nord's mouth.

"By Akatosh, you're a Dragonborn?" Govegein said in awe. Raddin gave Govegein his classic confused look. Govegein lead Raddin towards Whiterun, with Ugdulub close behind. "You ate Mirmulnir's soul and took power from one of the words in the barrow. What an interesting turn of events. And you!" he said grabbing the small orc. "The Companions have to take you now."

"Really?" Ugdulub said in astonishment.

"Yeah you were instrumental in defeating that dragon. He wouldn't have been able to fly for a few days at least after what you did to him. You show promise Ugd" Govegein said congratulating the boy. "Who knows, maybe one day you could take on some of the most powerful warriors of the Mythic era." The small orc's eyes lit up at this.

"But what if they don't believe me?" he said as they approached the gates of Whiterun.

"Then get Irileth to vouch for you, she saw you take out that dragon's wing," Govegein said looking towards Warmaiden's. A set of armor sat cooling by the forge, it was built around Govegein's designs, but it was different. Instead of the slopes of the ancient Nords, the Armor was adorned with angles that could only be Orismer. Images of wolves trimmed the gear and the weaknesses that were meant as tests were all fixed. Potential indeed, Govegein thought to himself. "Finish up your new armor and go talk to the companions," Govegein said sending Ugdulub off.

As Govegein lead a recovering Raddin towards Dragon's reach, he was saying, "I hear that it's the first time that will get you, but the rest will be easier."

"He knew you. He _knew_ you." Raddin kept mumbling.

Just then, voices thundered over the town, "Dovahkiin." The ground shook and the people stumbled as the two scorched warriors passed undaunted. With each step, Raddin grew stronger, more focused as the quick flash of memories faded into the new word of power. Raddin stopped leaning on Govegein and picked up the pace, he was eager to tell the Jarl that the dragon was dead.

Just as the duo reached the doors, Raddin stopped and turned. "Who are you? No evading the question this time, I saw some of the white dragon's, Mirmulnir's, memories. You were there, in strange robes with . . . others. You lead armies. You bowed before that black dragon. Who are you?"

* * *

**So Raddin finally asks the question that some of the less lore in-depth might still have some problems**

**To those who are giving suggestions, they are good, but if you don't notice any changes, it's either because I did not agree with you, or I was just lazy. Probably just lazy. I was, and am, lazy.**

**I'm just gonna apologize in advance for next week, the chapter got away from me.**


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter 8- Ivarstead and the Seven Thousand Steps

"Who are you?" Raddin persisted.

Govegein sighed, "I am just a traveler now. Once, long ago, I was a Dragon Priest, a leader of men and follower of dragons. I was found by a more pitying dragon as a baby. He pulled me out of the rubble of a village he burned down. I was miraculously almost unscathed, only a wound around my eye that would never fully heal. I was brought up in the Dragon Cult, and I sided with the humans in the war. My 'betrayal' lead to my punishment, I was branded an outcast, in the dragon tongue 'govegein'."

"If that is true, how are you here, now?" Raddin questioned.

"I'm not entirely sure myself," Govegein half lied. "Anyway, report to the Jarl. I'm going to see if that wizard will buy dragon bones." He pushed Raddin inside the keep, quickly changing the subject. As Govegein bartered with the mage, the Jarl and his entourage explained to Raddin what the thundering voices that sounded as the group entered the city.

Govegein walked up to the Jarl and the new Dragonborn as they began discussing rewards for killing Mirmulnir. "You are now Thane of Whiterun. You may take Lydia as your personal housecarl, and you can take this battle axe from my personal armory," Jarl Balgruuf said as he handed Raddin a sizable axe wreathed in a green mist.

"Well, it's not like he did it on his own," Govegein said, "Where are the rewards for everyone else?" _While the dragon cult were practically enslaved to the dragons, the at least rewarded their subjects evenly._

"Fine, how about I don't have you executed for your insolence, Breton," the Jarl snarled from his throne.

"My Jarl, I do not mean to contradict you, but he did bring the dragon to the ground, allowing the rest of us to kill it," Irileth interrupted.

"Fine, you can have. . . Breezehome," he said in defeat, "I didn't plan on multiple heroes, alright?" Balgruuf muttered under his breath.

"What about Ugdulub?" Raddin said.

"Don't push your luck," Irileth cautioned.

As Raddin and Govegein left the court, they were interrupted by an armor clad woman. She had shoulder length brown hair, and a strong, angular face. The walked expectantly towards Raddin. "I am your housecarl, Lydia. I am sworn to you, Thane Raddin. I will follow any order you give," she said, listing off her duties.

"Okay then, carry this loot that I've had since Bleakfalls," Govegein said handing her a bag.

"I am not you housecarl," she said looking defiantly at the taller Breton.

"Ooh, I just got some new spells and I want to try them out. Don't worry, I won't kill her," Govegein said as fire engulfed his hands.

"My thane, please allow me to send this fool to Sovngarde," Lydia said, drawing her sword.

"I won't be able to stop this will I?" Raddin asked hopelessly.

"No," both combatants replied.

* * *

"You didn't have to do _that_ to her," Raddin said recalling the duel which Govegein won. The two were on their way to the town of Ivarstead. It sat at the foot of the Seven Thousand Steps, which lead to High Hrothgar, where Raddin would learn the way of the Voice from the Greybeards. They were making excellent time rounding the mountain.

"What, with the fire spell or the lightning spell?" Govegein asked, wanting to know what Raddin meant by "_that_".

"Neither, it was what you did after that was unnecessary." Raddin shuddered at the memory.

"Well at least I'm letting her recover in my new house right?" Govegein said.

"You'll be lucky if there's a house left when you get back." Raddin replied.

* * *

The duo finally reached Ivarstead, after a few days of nonstop travel. Raddin exhausted, collapsed on the bridge. "Oh, come on. You should have more stamina than that." Govegein said, dragging the sleeping Nord past a burnt down house. Govegein promptly tripped on a body lying in the road. "Oh great, now I have to watch over two sleeping idiots." Looking at the newcomer, he saw that it was a Dunmer girl. She had startlingly white hair that was braided and fell across her shoulder. She was also the most ridiculously attractive Dunmer he had ever seen.

As she woke, she said in a soft voice, "By Nocturnal, it happened again."

"What happened again?" Govegein asked.

"Oh, did you trip on me? I'm so sorry, sometimes I have these blackouts and I wake up in completely different places days, sometimes weeks or more, later," she said. "I'm Reysi, by the way. Um, do you need help with your friend?"

The two of them propped Raddin up by the house. _Be careful there is always something._ "You should probably get that whole blackout thingy checked out, who knows what could be done to you during those times," Govegein said.

"Yeah probably," Reysi said, watching the sun rise. Slowly, thin steam began to rise from her body.

"You're a vampire," Govegein said in astonishment. _Why did she have to be a vampire?_

"Does it scare you?" she asked looking at him over her shoulder.

"No, I just don't have the best track record with your kind. It might scare him though." Govegein said nodding towards Raddin who was beginning to stir. "Rise and shine, tough guy. We're climbing the steps today."

"Can I come with you, I've wanted to try the pilgrimage some of these Nords are so fond of?" Reysi asked, helping Raddin wake.

"Sure there shouldn't be anything too dangerous on the Steps," Govegein said.

* * *

"You just had to say that didn't you?" Raddin shouted referring to Govegein's earlier remark.

"How was he supposed to know that a troll had a den up here?" Reysi defended.

The two were watching the Frost Troll chase Govegein around. His ice enchanted axe did little to nothing against the beast, and he couldn't fire many spells yet. _Even after all this time, my magika still hasn't returned to normal._ Govegein could only use his spells sparingly, and the troll quickly healed.

Drawing his sword, Govegein faced the furry biped. He shot s gout of flame at the beast and began to quickly cut at it while it was stunned. The fire seemed to be interrupting the regeneration process, so Govegein focused his cuts where he burned. Jumping back, he once again heated the blade of his sword with a small spell and pierced the troll's third eye.

Pulling the cooling blade from the Troll's corpse, he looked at his two companions. "Thanks for the help."

"You looked like you had it," Raddin said.

As the trio moved on, some of the ice fell off of the troll's perch. It hit Reysi on her head knocking her over. "By the mace." She said in a more gruff voice.

"And there it is," Govegein said.

"Hmm? Oh she must have grabbed two admirers while I was out," Reysi said rising. "I'm sure she gave you some half-baked blackout story, but in reality it's much different."

"Am I missing something?" Raddin said confused.

"She's a vampire, probably has been for a very long time. The mortal mind can only stand so many centuries before it begins to fade." Govegein said disapprovingly.

"You caught me, I'm so old I sometimes revert to a much younger personality of myself. Now who are we off to kill?" She said expectantly. Looking at the astonished faces of the two warriors she said, "What, I killed the beggar, now I need to kill the bard and the miner right?"

"What happened to the sweet, caring Dark Elf vampire?" Raddin said.

"She doesn't exist anymore, she hasn't for a long time by the looks of things. Reysi is actually an assassin, I'm guessing. Any way you can finish your pilgrimage with us, or you can finish your assassinations. Just don't draw us in to it." Govegein said.

"Well, I think I'll stick with this handsome little morsel for now," Reysi said grabbing Raddin. Govegein began to laugh as he mouthed 'Help me'.

As the trio reached High Hrothgar, Govegein finally pulled Reysi off of Raddin, stopping her from threatening to make him a thrall. As they entered the castle, Raddin was greeted by an old man in grey robes. As the Greybeards tested Raddin, Govegein saw Reysi off.

"I might check in on you guys periodically," she said as she descended the mountain.

"I hate vampires," Govegein said turning back into High Hrothgar. Walking up to Raddin he said, "I remember Jurgen Windcaller, that Nord could hold his ale. Before finding peace in the Thu'um, he made money in drinking contests."

"Well get ready for a walk down memory way, because we get to retrieve his horn from his crypt," Raddin said with false enthusiasm.

Upon exiting High Hrothgar, Govegein and Raddin met an exhausted Lydia. "I . . . finally . . . caught up . . . with you two. Oh, that was a lot of steps. Did you guys see a Dark Elf girl jumping down the side of the mountain?"

"You're just in time! We're leaving and I was tired of carrying my own stuff," Govegein said passing her.

She turned to yell back but Raddin put his hand on her shoulder and said, "Save your breath for the trek down." He handed her a large bag of Govegein's 'souvenirs'. And the trio set off for Ustengrav

* * *

**Yeah, with the whole 'introduce new character then take her away' i just feel like I went a little overboard with this chapter, but I wanted to introduce a Dark Brotherhood character who will *spoilers* show up again periodically. **

**And Lydia is a glorified pack-mule. **

**And Jurgen Windcaller was a drunkard for a time, you learn new things every day.**

**Questions? Comments? Concerns? leave it in the reviews**


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter 9- Grave Robbing

"Bandits and Necromancers, how do you want to go about this?" Govegein turned to Raddin. They were sitting behind a fallen log in the swaps in front of the entrance to Ustengrav.

"Why do I have to find a way through these guys?" Raddin complained, he seemed to be getting used to Lydia doing everything for him. _I'm surprised he doesn't have her changing him . . . yet._

"Because you're the thane, and the Dragonborn, and the guy the Greybeards sent for this. Any questions?" Govegein said.

"Just one: Should we help her?" Raddin said. It was only then that Govegein noticed that Lydia was gone. He looked over at the camp and saw her fighting the bandits, each one she slew was risen by a necromancer.

Govegein sighed, this was only proving his point. "Yes, you should be doing that and, she is about to be overwhelmed by undead," he explained. The two jumped over the log to find the necromancers dead and the bandits ashes. Looking at the carnage as the wind swept away the residue of undead, Govegein said, "Say what you want about her intelligence, or lack thereof," Lydia shot a death-glare at him, "but the woman can handle herself in a fight,"

"Yeah, how did you beat her again?" Raddin said remembering the outcome of Govegein's and Lydia's 'friendly' duel.

The three climbed up the dome of the barrow's entrance. Lydia shot another glare at Govegein, which was becoming a habit, and said, "He cheated." Raddin laughed and entered the barrow.

Govegein countered with, "No, I used the tools I had that you didn't, and still don't, have. Magic and better skill with a blade to name a few." Lydia punched him, hard, in the arm and followed Raddin into the barrow. Govegein followed to find Raddin and Lydia crouched behind some rubble spying on yet more necromancers. One was an Altmer female while the other was a Nordic male.

"I will attack first, my Thane," Lydia said.

Raddin took a more comfortable seat and nodded, but Govegein had to step in. "No I think that you should let your 'Thane' get some exercise. Anyway, don't you want to see the Dragonborn in action?" Lydia lit up at the chance to see her Thane wipe the floor with the necromancers she took for granted. "Looks like you're up, Dovahkiin," Govegein said pushing Raddin out of cover.

As Raddin crept up behind the Necromancers, he overheard them talking. "These bandits become much more efficient diggers after you kill them," the Altmer said to the Nord.

The other Necromancer looked at the first to reply and saw Raddin creeping up behind her. Raddin rose and Shouted, "Fus Ro!" A shockwave left his mouth and the two Necromancers fell back. As the undead Bandits rushed him, Raddin drew his new battle axe. As he swung he absorbed any remaining stamina in the undead. With another wide swing, he sliced them open and they fell to ashes. Then a shard of ice embedded itself in Raddin's back, followed by a bolt of lightning.

"We should help him, he needs someone to watch his back," Lydia said, trying to shake off Govegein's hand. He only pulled her down to the ground and held her there.

"No he will be fine. This is his ordeal, not ours. He is the one who needs to prove himself worthy of the dragon blood within him," Govegein said, "Let's stay hidden and let him take on his ordeal." He cast an invisibility spell over the two on them as Raddin finished off the Altmer Necromancer.

"You planned this," Lydia accused. Raddin hacked away at the Nord as he tried to revive his friend.

"I want to see him succeed as much as you do, but I want him to grow by himself," Govegein explained as Raddin was drawn to screams from the next room. "Follow but don't get too close." Lydia begrudgingly followed.

* * *

As Raddin rounded the corner, he saw three Necromancers desperately fight off several Draugr. Instincts taking over, he bashed one of the Draugr's heads in with the butt of his axe. Focusing on the next one he wedged his battle axe in its chest as ice and fire flew around him. A Draugr near the back looked at him with those empty, glowing eyes. It took a breath and shouted "Fus."

"Of course some of them can shout, I'm such an idiot," Raddin said as he was knocked back. He put his axe on his back, exchanging it for his shield, and drew his sword. He ran towards this Scourge, he decided on a name for this class of Draugr, with his shield blocking a gust of ice and snow. He sliced away at the Scourge, as he finished it off, though, a gout of flames hit his back. The necromancers had turned on their savior. The rush of heroic adrenaline wore off as Raddin was forced to kill the people he meant to save. He thought he heard a gasp as he walked deeper into the crypt.

"Wait," he said after he finished off a final Draugr in a room filled with Sarcophagi, "where are Govegein and Lydia? I thought that they would have followed me by now. I just hope Govegein doesn't accidentally try anything like he did with that companion." Somewhere behind him, a soft thud sounded, like someone punching someone else.

Climbing a set of stairs led the lone Dragonborn to a bridge that crossed the room. Following a hallway on the other side of the bridge lead to a set of doors. Raddin stepped through the doors only to find an even more ruined version of the ruins he had walked through. He sighed and glanced at a hole in the rocky wall, and instantly did a double take. From the hole, he could see a vast cavern, more ruins lined one of the sides that he could see and, down in a basin, Raddin thought he saw a wall similar to the one in Bleak Falls.

Excitedly, he ran deeper into the crypt, only to run face first into a Draugr. "Don't mind me, I'm just . . . passing through?" Raddin instantly cursed himself. The Draugr drew an old sword and pointed it at Raddin. "Yeah, that would not work here would it?" Dodging the slashes of the Draugr, Raddin drew his own sword. Bashing the Draugr with his shield, he cut at his off-balance opponent.

As the first Draugr fell, he noticed another one running across a bridge over the room. Raddin rushed towards a doorway on the opposite side of the room. As he approached it, the Draugr stood in the way and blasted him with ice. As Raddin fought of the Scourge he heard a sword being drawn from its sheath. Stabbing his sword through the Scourge's head, he whirled around with his battle axe at the ready. There were no Draugr sneaking up behind him, no left over bandits or necromancers who had followed him into the tomb. Suspicious, he put away his axe and retrieved his sword.

Raddin retraces the scourge's steps to find a room with two sarcophagi in it. As he moved through the room sloshing sounds drew his attention to the oil at his feet. Then the lids of the sarcophagi flew open. From them emerged two more Draugr, eager for their first fight in centuries. Drawing his battle axe, Raddin backed away from the two undead. One seemed to chuckle as he drew his bow. Looking up, Raddin cursed, there was a fire trap above his head. As the Draugr's arrow flew, Raddin dove away. The arrow broke the clay orb, releasing the fire across the oil. Raddin panted as the flames roared in front of him, then a flaming form emerged from the fires. The Draugr drew a battle axe and charged Raddin. Putting up his own defenses, Raddin grunted at the force of the undead warrior's charge. Pain split into his side, from the other side of the fire, the archer Draugr shot at Raddin. Throwing the warrior into the flames, Raddin hacked at the decaying flesh. Feeling rejuvenated, he walked through the now dying flames towards the Draugr that had tried to burn him. As it began to reach for its sword, Raddin split its skull. "This axe is great, I will have to thank Balgruuf next time I see him," Raddin said exiting the room.

Following the short tunnel, Raddin found himself in the Cavern he had seen from the hole in the wall. Jumping across fallen pillars he made his way to the floor. As he peered over the cliff he confirmed that the wall was the same as the one in Bleak Falls. Running down a path that was carved out of the side of the wall, he approached the secluded wall. Chanting filled his head, but he could not make out what they were saying, it seemed to be in Draconic though. Touching the stone, he felt the rush of knowledge as the chanting grew and the ethereal flames crawled into Raddin's head. The chanting stopped and suddenly Raddin knew a new word, Feim.

"Feim? What in Oblivion does that mean?" Raddin pondered the unfamiliar word as he left the basin. "So the Greybeards were right, just finding the words will not let me use the shout. If I kill another Dragon and absorb his soul, I will be able to learn more about the word. But what else will I learn from it?" he shuddered at the memory of his experience with Mirmulnir's soul. Crossing a bridge that rose over the basin, Raddin stood looking at three strange stones. As he approached one, it glowed red, and an arrow flew past him. In an alcove looking over the exit from the large cavern, stood three skeletons with bow and arrows. Raddin sighed at the annoyance and quickly dispatched them.

Jumping back down to the stones, Raddin discovered that approaching one activated it. While activated, some of the gates barring the exit opened, but the stones quickly deactivated. Raddin tried sprinting for the tenth time before coming to a conclusion, he was too slow. Then it hit him. Sprinting past the stones to activate them all, he ran towards the gates and took a deep breath. He shouted "Wund," and he was past the gates before he knew it. Striding confidently forward he climbed the steps leading onward. As he entered the next room he froze.

* * *

"Okay we should probably help him now," Govegein said dropping the invisibility and approaching the stunned Raddin.

"Why you proved that he could make it on his own, why not let him finish what he started?" Lydia said. She had begun to like tailing her thane, even if Govegein had to stop her from interfering sometimes.

"Because your 'heroic' thane is deathly afraid of spiders," Govegein explained gesturing to the webbing that covered the room they were in. "I'll kill the spiders, you drag him." Govegein walked off into the nest. As Lydia tried to get her thane to move, she saw bright red and blue flashes coming from past the rubble. Carefully traversing the fire traps that lined the floor, she walked into a scene out of Vaermina's proudest works.

Charred spider parts were scattered all over the floor, their guts covering the walls. An undamaged Govegein stood fighting a gigantic spider over the fire traps. The two were covered in flames as Govegein cut off one of the spider's arms. The quick frozen flesh crumbled as the flames tore it apart and Govegein did not let up. Hacking away at the beast as it roasted, Govegein barely even showed a sign of exhaustion. As the giant spider fell, the traps ran out of fuel and govegein walked towards Lydia. He grabbed Raddin and threw him through the web covered doorway.

"Why would you do that?" Lydia shouted at him. She ran towards her thane to check on him.

"Disgusting Raddin, did you wet yourself?" Govegein said, completely ignoring the outraged housecarl.

"Spiders are evil, your complaints are invalid," Raddin said from the next room.

"That does not justify you wetting yourself like a child," Govegein countered, following them into the next room.

"Where were you two anyway? Oh no! Lydia did he touch you? Did he force you to-" Govegein hit him in the head.

"Don't get carried away, we were testing you," he said.

"You dented my helmet," Govegein muttered as he walked towards the other side of the room. Most of the room was submerged, but a bridge still lead to the other side. On the opposite side of the room was a stone coffin with a sculpture of a hand rising from the top. Clutched in the hand was a note. "Hey, Govegein, Lydia, you might want to see this," Raddin said running across the bridge. As he ran, monuments rose out of the water creating an image of sea serpents guarding the grave of Jurgen Windcaller.

Following Raddin, Govegein and Lydia crossed the bridge. After reading the note, Raddin handed it to Govegein. It was addressed to Raddin, or rather the Dragonborn. The writer wanted to talk with him and told him to rent an attic room at the Sleeping Giant Inn. The note was signed 'A friend'.

"I don't like this," Govegein said, handing the note to Lydia. "I don't think that the Sleeping Giant Inn even has an attic to put a room into."

"But this person must have the horn," Lydia said. "They seem to want to help, why don't we go to see them?"

"If they want to help us then let them seek us out. Besides, I don't trust that innkeeper," Govegein argued. He recalled that it was Delphine who had taken the dragon stone from Farengar.

"Whether we trust them or not, we will have to meet them to get the Horn of Jurgen Windcaller," Raddin said. "So, we will meet with this person. If they do anything suspicious, we hurt them. If they don't, we get new allies." The three used the old escape route to leave Ustengrav.

* * *

**And so begins the tale of the Blades. If you've played the game, you know where this is going. If you haven't, then play it.**

**I'm starting a side story following everyone's favorite wimp of an orc so check it out after I post it**

**Sadly this means that I will also have to lengthen the time between posts, sorry. **


	11. Chapter 10

Chapter 10- Dragon Hunting

"Well . . . we don't have an attic room, but you can have the one on the left. Make yourself at home," Delphine said. She led Raddin to the single person room. Govegein held back in the main room to keep watch for their 'friend' while Lydia went to the shop to sell Govegein's numerous _souvenirs_.

Govegein sat, listening to the bard sing about Ragnar the Red. About an hour later, he noticed Delphine entering Raddin's room. _Of course, she took the Horn. How did I not see it sooner?_ Govegein thought to himself as Delphine lead Raddin across the inn. When Govegein approached them, however, Delphine stopped him, saying that she wanted to speak to Raddin privately.

"Govegein can listen in," Raddin said.

"No, I'm not taking any risks. Your friend stays outside," Delphine would not relent.

Govegein found himself outside of the inn when Lydia approached with a bag of septims. Govegein spent his time making new weapons for himself and Lydia at the forge. He made an axe and a sword for himself, to replace his older ones, out of a metal compound the Dwarves used. Lydia marveled at the craftsmanship of her new sword and shield.

Raddin emerged from the Sleeping Giant Inn as Govegein tested the sharpness of his new blades. "We're going to Kynesgrove to kill a dragon," he said confidently. As Delphine followed him out of the inn he mouthed 'please help me'. With that, the four began the trek eastward.

* * *

A few nights later the party was in the wetlands of Eastmarch. Govegein tended to the campfire while Raddin went to sleep almost immediately. Delphine sat across from the Breton, she was wary after their encounter outside of Whiterun. Lydia was roasting some venison as she rested awkwardly between the opposing Bretons. Raddin suddenly broke the silence "GRIND! GRIND! GRIND! KILL! KILL! KILL!" Having another one of his uncanny dreams.

Delphine, shocked, asked "Does he do that often?"

"More than he knows," Lydia sighed. She had first learned about her Thanes 'condition' in Ivarstead where he terrified a poor villager with his screams.

"I think he is experiencing a second life. While this body sleeps, his soul drifts to another plane. For all that we know, that kind of talk is normal there," Govegein said. "If that is true, he would make an excellent research subject."

"Now you sound like Sheogorath. I think that Vaermina just has a special interest in him," Delphine said, spitting out the Daedric names with disgust.

Changing the subject, Govegein asked Lydia, "So how did you end up as Raddin's Thane?"

Blushing she said, "Well, the first time I saw Raddin was when the Jarl sent you two off to find the Dragonstone. I thought that he looked too scared to be the mercenary everyone else thought he was. Up until I became a housecarl I was just a city guard, like many people free food and shelter was too good to pass up. When Raddin returned, he looked less frightened and I found myself thinking, _I would like to travel with this man._ So when he left, I asked the Jarl if I could leave my guard duties and next thing I knew I was gearing up to be Raddin's housecarl. Then _you_ showed up." She glared at Govegein, remembering how she woke up after their duel.

After another lengthy silence, Lydia asked "What is the history between you and Raddin anyway? You seem more relaxed around him."

Govegein told Lydia and Delphine how he and Raddin met, and their escape from Helgen, he also told them that he was traveling from Daggerfall through Cyrodill. "That is really it, I wanted a guide for this country and Raddin did not want to be left for the wolves. As we traveled, he became competent with a blade and learned that he is the last Dragonborn. I'm only following now to see the end of Alduin," he said, finishing his tale.

"There has to be more than that, you have only known each other for a fortnight at most," Lydia said.

"Just let it go. They are a compatible team, nothing else," Delphine said going to sleep.

"Since you brought this up, you get first watch," Govegein said, falling onto his back and feigning sleep. Lydia sat astonished as he drifted away.

* * *

The next day, the quartet had reached Kynesgrove only to be met by a distressed villager. "Run! A dragon is attacking," she said.

"Has it killed anyone?" Delphine asked.

"No, it's just flying around the hilltop," the villager replied.

Off in the distance Govegein heard a roar tear through the peaceful atmosphere of Kynesgrove. The four adventurers ran towards the hilltop. What he saw flying above the hill made Govegein stop dead in his tracks. Alduin, Bane of Kings, circled the burial mound. Alduin said, "Salkohnir, zii gro dovah fah ul. Slen Tiid Vo," finishing the incantation.

As the dragon, Salkohnir, in the burial mound awoke, Alduin looked down at Govegei. "Eh, sonaak, meyz wah daal wah hin wuth in?"

Salkohnir, regaining his flesh, said "Nid, ko sul mindin hin vik rok grut mii. Rok los nu govegein." Alduin glared down at the newly reformed dragon. Salkohniir hurredly said, "Frolaaz zey, Zu'u vodahmaan dii staad."

Alduin nodded and began to leave, saying "Ruz krii daar mey ahrk kos drehlaan voth nii." The Bane of Kings flew off into the distance and Salkohnir eyed the adventurers. Govegein and Delphine readied their weapons, leading Raddin and Lydia to follow suit.

Salkohnir took off, breathing a frosty gale at his opponents. Lydia shot him with arrows as Govegein burned him with some fire. When Salkohnir eventually landed, Raddin and Delphine were on him in an instant. Raddin cut at the thin membrane of Salohnir's wings, learning from his last fight. Delphine rushed in with her thin blade, trying to find holes in Salkohnir's scaly hide.

Govegein and Lydia followed suit, drawing their new swords and cutting at Salkohnir's face. Enraged, he released another gale of frost. Lydia blocked the brunt of the ice with her shield while Govegein dodged towards Delphine. Seeing an opening in Lydia's defenses, Salkohnir rose his head high. In one swift movement he took Lydia in his jaws, puncturing her armor.

"Lydia!" Raddin screamed.

The dragon shook his head, ending her struggles.

Raddin furiously cut at Salkohnir's neck, but his blade bounced off of the armor like scales.

Salkohnir swallowed Lydia's lifeless body, laughing. Bringing his head down to attack again, Salkohnir found a blade entering from under his jaw. Govegein appeared, cutting a gash in the bottom of Salkohnir's mouth. Shoving his sword into the gash, he held the dragon's head in place. "Finish him!" Govegein shouted at Raddin, who took the chance to thrust his sword into Salkohnir's eye. Taking his axe, Raddin brought it down on the dragon's head as it began to dissolve. Even as Salkohnir's soul entered Raddin, he kept smashing his axe into the lifeless skull.

Govegein reached out to Raddin who spun around shouting "YOU KILLED HER! YOU KILLED HER!"

* * *

"I Sent Lydia's body back to Whiterun with Delphine, who wants to talk with you back at the Sleeping Giant Inn when you're ready," Govegein told Raddin who was sitting on Salkohnir's skeleton. They had found Lydia's body, relatively unharmed, in Salkohnir's ribcage.

"Feim . . . it means fade. Kind of fitting in a way." Raddin said.

"What do you mean?"

"The word I learned for that dragon's soul, it was fade. Lydia has now faded, along with the memories of what you took from Salkohnir."

"I killed the dragon most precious to him. I'm no Dragonborn, so he could have been revived, but it hurt Salkohnir none the less. He had always been one of the more docile of the Dovah, he had never eaten any humans, but his friend's death changed Salkohnir. He still blamed me and wanted to fight, not that he wouldn't have attacked you if I wasn't here. He was just more savage this time." Govegein explained

"The other dragon was more than a friend to him." Raddin said. "Like a lover."

Govegein shook his head, "Dragons don't mate, they just are. Their nature had always been a mystery, but that was what made them even more divine. Friendship is the closest they can technically get."

"Either way, they are dead now, Salkohnir used as fuel and Lydia in Sovngarde," Raddin said.

"By the nine, I forgot. Alduin began eating the souls of the dead to gain power, Lydia is still in danger."

"Then we will just have to kill Alduin all the faster." Raddin calmly said. He rose and began to walk off.

"One more thing, with the dragonborn, the more dragon souls you consume, the closer to them you become. Just be careful not to lose yourself to the memories of the dead." Govegein cautioned Raddin as they began the trek to Riverwood.

"What do you mean?" Raddin asked, confused.

"As you become closer to the dragons, you will begin to crave power. Do not let this craving consume you like it did so many others," Govegein finished.

"I am not like any others," Raddin said walking away.

* * *

By the time that Raddin and Govegein had returned to the Sleeping Giant, they were exhausted. They had taken a detour to High Hrothgar to return Jurgen Wincaller's horn, and complete Raddin's Unrelenting Force Shout, and they stopped in Whiterun to pay their respects to Lydia. The small village of Riverwood held some welcoming distractions for both adventurers. Meeting and planning with Delphine helped take Raddin's mind off of Kynesgrove. Delphine still did not trust Govegein enough to let him in on these meetings, even if he could probably answer all of her questions. He spent his time in the town working on some new armor.

He sat, putting on the finishing touches to his new Orichalcum armor, when Raddin walked up to him. The armor still held to Govegein's styles as he crafted, an augmentation of the Ancient Nordic armor found on Draugr. Raddin tapped Govegein on his shoulder, taking him from his work. "Delphine is sending me to a party in the Thalmor Embassy."

"Okay, when do we set off?" Govegein said.

"No, just me. She only had one Invitation," Raddin said apologetically

Govegein rolled his eyes. "That is a shame, because I was looking forward to socializing with cheap Ayleid knockoffs," he said sarcastically. "I'll find something else to take up my time while you rub elbows with the enemy." As he said that a cloaked figure approached them. "See something else to pass my time."

Raddin sighed. "So we'll meet up again tomorrow at Breezehome?"

Govegein nodded sending Raddin off. The cloaked person then moved closer to Govegein and said, "I said that I would check in."

Reysi removed her hood and wrapped herself around Govegein. "Get off succubus."

"Hey not all vampires use sexual situations to get close enough to feed. I sometimes, no often, do but I'm sure there is a vampire or two who doesn't," she complained, releasing Govegein.

"What do you want?"

"Well, I need a date to a wedding, and you seem like the kind of person who likes those things," Reysi explained. She was gathering up Govegein's new armor and pushing him onto the road.

"Might as well, I have nothing else to do," Govegein said. "One question though. What exactly is a wedding?"

* * *

**Lydia: Never Forget**

**Thoughts on her death? Say so in the comments.**

**I had to upload this early, I won't have a chance to over the next few days.**

**Check out Ugdulub's story in _The Fanboy and the Companions_**


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